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8 Questions To Ask A House Lifting Company

In our previous blogs, we’ve gone over many of the reasons that people have their houses lifted, as well as the process of house lifting. And while that knowledge is very important, it’s even more important that you choose the right house lifting company to get the house elevation done correctly. Today we’re going to take a look at the questions you should ask a house lifting company before you hire one in either Louisiana or on Long Island.

“Have You Ever Lifted A House Before?”

This might sound silly, but the first thing to ask is if a particular company has ever performed house raising before. There are many tasks that are related to house lifting, such as foundation repair or house moving, but these are certainly not the same. A company might be just getting into house lifting, and you probably don’t want to be their first customer.

“How Many Houses Have You Lifted?”

We understand that every business has to start somewhere, and we’re not going to begrudge anyone starting their own company even if they’re in direct competition with us here at Turn Key. At the same time, you’ll want to make sure that the company you’re working with has plenty of experience with the type of house you have. Not every house lifting is the same, so make sure that you get a good idea of how many houses (and types of houses) the company you choose has lifted. To see a sample of the New York, Louisiana, and Texas houses that Turn Key has raised above floodwaters, simply click here.

“Can You Send Me Past Houses You’ve Lifted?”

The pictures in the gallery up above give you a pretty good idea of the many houses we’ve worked on. But there’s really nothing like seeing the finished product in person. Ask the potential house lifting company if they’re willing to send you past houses that they’ve actually worked on. Of course, these will just be drive-bys; we can’t encourage you to trespass and walk around the house. However, you might be able to see the house up close if you ask this question…

“Can I Have References?”

Online reviews are nice, but there’s nothing like talking with someone personally who has experienced house lifting. A good home elevation company will be able to give you references. Some of the references might be phone call or email only, while other people are so proud of the lift and remodel they’ve had done that they might just invite you over to take a look at the entire grounds.

When it comes to references, there are many questions you’ll want to ask. The big one is, of course, if they were happy with the final product. You can also ask if they were happy with the communication and forthrightness of the house lifting company. Did they stay on time and on budget? Were there any problems, and were they dealt with in the proper manner? Talking to actual people who have had experiences with a company can tell you who you’re dealing with.

“Can You Tell Me About Your Insurance Coverage?”

Of course, insurance is very important. Some people believe that simply having their own home coverage will take care of the insurance needs, but if a company you’ve hired isn’t insured then you could be dealing with years of insurance troubles if someone gets hurt. Instead of putting yourself at risk, make sure that the company you’ve hired is probably insured for their employees and any damage that could occur to your house. While a reputable home elevation shouldn’t have any problems, accidents do happen. Never hire anyone to work on your home — roof, foundation, plumbing, or otherwise — unless they’re properly insured.

“What Costs Are Covered? Which Are Not?”

When comparing house raising companies, it’s important to compare apple to apples. There are dozens of different processes that are involved when it comes to house lifting, such as fence removal, landscape alteration, foundation building, electrical extension, plumbing extensions, stair building, landscape repair, and many others. Are all of these included in the quote you’re getting? You could be very pleased when you see the quote, but does it include labor or just materials? Before you go with the cheapest one, make sure that what you think you’re paying for is what’s actually covered.

“Can You Help With Grants?”

Many people who have house lifting performed do so with the help of government grants. After all, if the government helps to pay for house lifting now, it won’t have to pay a far greater amount to replace the house after an area-wide emergency.

We’re big fans of these grants. First (and perhaps most obviously), we get more customers who can afford to lift their houses. But more houses are protected from flooding overall, which means that entire communities aren’t wiped out as much as they normally would be during a flood.

“What About Permit Expediting?”

Once you’ve decided to have your house raised, you really don’t want the process to take any longer than usual. In our business there are basically three seasons: winter is coming, hurricane season is coming, or hurricane season is here! The sooner the job is done, the better.

That’s why we always do what we can to speed up the permit process as much as possible. We have been through the permit process many times at both the state and local level. That means that we know the best ways to cut through the red tape. We’re as anxious to get to work as you are, so we do whatever we can to speed up the whole process.

We know that choosing the right house raising company can take a bit of effort, but when you’re dealing with your home you really can’t afford to cut corners. Do your due diligence and you’ll end up much happier with the end result. Start off with a free quote from Turn Key Contractor Solutions today!